fakemaster said:So I decide to get out of the house last night because I needed to get away. I went to see Watchmen. Now I knew it was a Superhero movie. But I didn't know they were called the Watchmen for several reasons. One of them being that the main guy Mr. Manhattan was a watchmakers son. So through this whole movie there are constant references to time including one flashback where he was a young biy and his father was teachng him how to tear watch apart and put it back together. As I sat there I screamed 'NOOOO WATCHMEEENNN'. Then my wife leans over and says. I know that gear on the left. I found one on the floor yesterday. I set it on your table.
So much for getting away....
Hey Fakey did I see a couple of typo's there? Just kidding.
So, a while back a friend of mine asked me to look at an old English pocket watch that he inherited from his grandfather. Normally I don't do this but he's a good friend so I say OK.
I take the watch apart and it's been butchered by an amateur; hands broken off, case forced open etc. All the original oil had turned into a grey/green paste. I clean the movement and find the original problem; the watch has a fusee and inside the fusee are 2 small pawls that stop it from unwinding. One of the pawls was broken.
After tracking down an antique watch dealer in the UK I manage to get some hands but I have to make the pawl. After several hours handcrafting this tiny thing (about the size of a pin head) I finally finish it. I test it out and it works like a charm. Last step is to part the pawl off from it's extended stem (this allowed me to hold in a pin vice while I worked on it). All of a sudden PING, gone. 2 hours later I give up looking for it and make another one. Friend is now happy, I will never do this again and to make matters worse a couple of weeks ago I look down at my watch bench and what is sitting there grinning at me, a hand crafted pawl.
At least you got your gear back...
